Automatic motion recorder for automobiles



Feb. 19, 1924. 1,484,125

a. B. FRAZER AUTOMATIC MOTION RECORDER FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed June- 28, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F INVENTOR 6607 5. fiuzer ATTORNEY Feb. 19 1924. 1,484,125

G. B. FRAZER AUTOMATIC MOTION RECORDER FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed June 28. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fit; 45

fIg 7 SPFFD IND/("TOR I MILES KR Hal R f HUNN/NG IDLE ,1 F5 I 5 4/8 76 //V l/EN T01? George 5 fiazer Patented Feb. 19, 1924.

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Application filed June 28, 1822. Serial No. 571,440.

T 0' all whom it may concern:

. Be it known that'I, Gnonos B. Fnazns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wellington, county of King, and State of Washington, have invented a new and useful Automatic Motion Recorder for Automobiles; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact specification, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention is a device for recording the speed at which a motor vehicle is traveling, the turning of the vehicle to the right or left, the time the lights are on and the time the on me is running while the vehicle is s'tan in still.

The object o the invention is to provide a device which will make an accurate record of the speed at which a motor vehicle is traveling.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device which will indicate whenever the machine is turned to the right or left.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device which will record the length of time the'li hts are on.

And a furt er ob'ect of the invention is to provide a means or recording the length of time the en ine is running while the machine is stan in idle.

And a still furt er object of the invention is to provide a warning light either on the instrument board or on the outside of the vehicle which will light when the machine is traveling above a certain With these ends in view the invention embodies a frame attached toa clock hav-' ing a roll of aper in it, the outer end of which asses tween a pair of corrugated rolls w 'ich are geared to the clock so that they will run with it. An additional clock spring is placed in the frame and geared to'a roller to which the end of the paper is attached so that it will cause a tension in the paper. A speedometer is also installed in the frame with a vernor attached to it and a lever attache to one end of the governor so that as the speed changes the lever will move backward and forward and move a marker across the paper.

lever by which the marker is vibrated when the engine is running and the vehicle standing still. Another marker is pivoted over speed. the top and A plates. On one end of each of these small cam is installed at the end of the the paper and connected to the steering whee and a cam is placed on the button that turns on the light which holds a small roller on the aper when the li hts are on. An electnc switch is also p aced on the marker that is operated by the overnor and connected with an electric light either on the instrument board or on the outside of the car.

Other features and advantages of the in vention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein i I Figure l is a front elevation with the pa er removed.

igure 2 is a top lan view.

Figure 3 is an end elevation.

Figure 4 is a cross section on line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a adjusting lever.

Figure 6 is a detail view showin the method for controlling the speed indicator by the governor or speedometer.

Figure 7 is a detail view showing the tape with the speed indicated thereon in fine dash lines, the direction by a fine line and the time the lights were turned on, by a heavy dash line; and also the arm for supporting the light marker.

In the drawings I have shown my device as it would be assembled wherein number 1 indicates the back of the frame to which the two plates 2 and 3 are attached and these are bolted together by the bolts 5 and 6 at 7 and 8 at the bottom. Between these plates is a guide plate 9 which is curved at the top as shown in Fi re 4 and a white enamel plate 10 over which a thin strip of paper passes. I A roll of paper 11 is a so mounted upon a shaft 12 between the plates and. this paper which should be made of a thin strip of tracing paper with a strip of carbon paper under it passes over. the guide plate 9 and from there the tracing paper passes over the enamel plate 1O an the carbon paper asses under it. The paper then peasses t rough a pair of cor rugated rub r rolls 13 and '14 which are mounted upon shafts 15 and 16 between the shafts 1s a s ur gear and these are arranged so that t e gear 17 on the end of the shaft 15 meshes with the gear 18 on the end of the gear 16. On the opposite end of the detail showing the speed -plate 3 bi shaft 15 is a large gear 19 as shown in- Figure 3 which meshes with another gear 20 fixedly mounted on a shaft 21 and on this shaft is also a bevel gear 22 which meshes with a large bevel gear 23 on the shaft 24 which projects from the back of a clock 25. The shaft 21 and the outer end of the shaft 24 are supported in a bracket 26 which extends outward from the-clock casing.

The paper then continues to a shaft 27 which is split so that the end of the paper may be slipped through it and this shaft is also arranged so that it may readily be taken out when it is desired to remove the roll of paper. One end of this shaft is placed inside of a bevel gear 28 which meshes with a lar bevel gear 29 on a shaft 30. And on t iis shaft is also a spring 31 which may be wound up with a key that may be placed on the square end 32 of the shaft 30. This shaft is pivotally mounted in holes in the rear of the frame 1 and in a bracket 26. The latch 33 also enga the teeth of the ar 28 so that it will prevent the spring rom unwinding while the shaft 27 is removed.

In the casing is a vertical shaft 34', which may he an extension of the speedometer shaft, the dial of which may be seen through the o nmg 34, or this shaft may be connec through a flexible shaft to one of the wheels of the vehicle so that it will rotate with it; and on this shaft is a bevel gear 35 which meshes with another bevel gear 36 on a vernor shaft 37. This shaft is supported i n holes in the side plates 38 and 39 of a frame 40 which also supports the speedometer. This frame is locked to the a hook 41 and a bolt 42. At the rear of t e frame is a hinge 43 which supports a lever 44 and this lever has a pin 45 on its upper side which slides between the flanges of a spool 46 that is slidably mounted on the governor shaft and attached to the movable end of the governor. The outer end of this'lever pro ects through a hole 47 in a plate 48 which is slidably mounted by the bearings 49 and 50 on a rod 51 and on the inside of this late is a small plate 52 the extended end 0? which bears against the paper. The plate 48 is held downward by a small roller 53 on the side of the plate 3. It will be seen that as the s d is increased the governor will draw t e lever 44 toward the section of the frame containing the paper and this will move the plate 52' across the paper which will causea mark to be made on the under side of the tracing aper as it will be pushed against the carn paper. Then as the paper moves until the mark passes 'over the enamel plate 10 the mark will be visible. The plate 48 is divided into graduations which are of different colors and marked, so that as the "vehicle reaches different speeds they will' show as the plate moves into the opening. In the Figure'2 I have shown a rod 54 with a cam 55 on its end projecting through the rear plate 1 and as t e opposite end of this rod is connected to the engine shaft it will rotate this cam while the engine is in motion. This cam bears agaimt the rear end of the lever 44 and causes it to move backward and forward in a vibratin motion so that it will move the plate 52 backward and forward across the pa 1' whenever the en ine is in motion; so t at a zigzag line wfil ap ar on the edge of the paper whenever t e en he is running and the car is standing still. It will be seen that as soon as the car is started the governor will move the end of the lever 44 away from the cam 55 so that it will not be touched b it.

Between tlie bolts 5 and 6 is a shaft 56 on which is a lug 57 which has a spring with a point 58 attached to it that extends downward over the paper. On the outer end of the shaft 56 a knob 59 is mounted and on the inner end is a pulley 60 shown in Figure 2. Around the pulle 60 is a small wire 61, one end of whic is attached to the plate 1 by a in 62 and the other end of which is attac ed to the steering wheel. Between the pulley 60 and the pin 62 is a small tension spring 63 and between the pulley 60 and the steering wheel is a heavier spring 64. When the car is going straight ahead the pointer 58 will remain in the position shown in Figure 1 and as the car is turned in one direction the wire 61 will pull the pulley 60 and thereby rotate the point 58 in an arc in one direction and as t e car is turned in the opposite direction the wire 61 will slacken and permit the spring 63 to twist the pulley 60 and the shaft 56 so that the inter 58 will move in an arc in the opposite direction. A plate 65 may be placed on the plate 3 so that as the steering wheel is turned a considerable distance in one direction the point 58 will bear against the plate 65 and etc and the extra motion will be taken up by t e spring 64. A spring 66 may be placed on the shaft 56 between the bolt 6 and the lug 57 in order to hold the point 58 against the pa r.

s ring 67 may be fastened to the lever 44 an to a bracket 68 which has a slotted hole in it through which it is attached b a bolt 70 to the rear of the frame 40. t will be seen that as this plate is moved inward or outward it will adjust the tension on the governor and thereby late the movement of the plate 52 so t at it may be regulated to work on any desirable graduations on the }pa r.

On a shaft 71 w ic has a thumb nut 72 on its outer end and which is mounted in bearings at each side of the frame and used to turn the lights on or off, is alarm 73 that may be held by a set screw 73', which cam bears against a bracket 74, which is attached to a projection 74 on the plate 2 and which supports a roller 75. The cam holdsthe roller against the paper while the lights are on and allows it to re main above the paper whenthey are off. This will cause a light line to appear along the edge of the paper when the lights are on. On the side of the plate 38 is a contact point 76 which engages another con tact point 77 when the plate 48 is moved toward the section containing the paper by the governor as the speed of the vehicle increases. As these two points engage the will complete an electric circuit which wi 1 light a lamp that may be placed on the instrument board or on the outside of the vehicle so that as the speed of the ear exceecis a certain amount a. warnin will be given. This speed may be regu ated by shortening or lengthening the contact point 76.

'The shaft 16 shown in Figure 4. is placed in slotted holes in plates 2 and 3 and held uplward by a spring 78 from the bolt 7. T is may be arranged in this manner so that an even friction may be maintained upon the paper.

In Figure 2 I have shown lines across the paper indicating graduations which may be spaced or numbered in any desirable manner. It will be observed that some of these graduations extend across the paper and these ma be made to indicate periods of time as those extending across the paper may indicate hours, those half way across half hours, and those one (uarter of the way across quarter hours. The graduations extending longitudinally indicate the miles per hour and these would gradually come closer together as they approach the higher speeds. A blank space should be left on the paper in which the owner or chauffeur may write his name.

It will be understood that changes may be made in the construction without departing from the spirit of the invention. One of which changes may be in the design of the frame, and this may be made in any desired design to support the apparatus and to permit it to function as described. Any type of clock or just a clock spring may be used in place of the clock as shown. A double pointer operated by a double lever onnected y two wires to the steering post may be used in place of the single wire 61 as shown. An desirable type of a speedometer or just a ilhxible shaft connected to the ar 35 may be used in place of the spec ometer shown and any desirable means may be used to connect a spring or clock to the paper rolls.

The construction will be readily understood from the foregoin shown and the clock started and as the speed of the vehicle is increased the plate 52 will move across the paper and record the speed at which the vehicle is traveling. The

pointer 58 will also move across thepaper as the vehicle is turned to the rightorleft and will leave a semi-circular mark on the paper. As the lights are turned on the cam 73 will move the roller down against the paper and cause a line to appear along the edge all the time the lights are on. This roller will be released, as the lights are turned off. A zigzag line will appear along the opposite side of the paper if the engine is permitted to run while the vehicle is standing still which will be caused by the action of the small. cam against the lever connected to the governor as hereinbefore described.

Having thus fuily described thsinvention what I claim as new and desire to cure by Letters Patent, isz

1. A motion retmder of the type scribed embodying a frame having in one end and a governor in the other; suitable means for connecting the governor to a wheel of the vehicle; a lever mounted on a hinge in the frame and connected to the end of the governor; a cam on the end of a shaft which is rotated by the engine shaft arranged in the frame so that it will engage the end of the lever; a plate slidably mounted in the frame so that it will engage the opposite end of the lever; a marker on the plate which may bear against a strip of paer which has a strip of carbon paper on its under side; a contact point on the lower side of the plate which engages an adjustable contact point on the frame to cause a lamp to light as the vehicle reaches a certain speed; suitable means for supporting the paper and for connecting it to a clock sprin so that it will travel at a given speed; a sma l roller on the side of the paper which may be engaged by a cam on the rod which operates the light switch; and a pointer mounted upon a shaft which is connected to the steering wheel so that it rotates with it.

2. A device of the type described embodying a frame having springs in one end and a governor in the other; suitable means for connecting the governor to a vehicle in which the dew ice is mounted so that it will rotate with the vehicle; aper with graduations and spaces mounted in the frame with a stri of carbon paper'under it and connecte to the springin such a manner that it will travel at a regular speed; suitable means for transferring themotion of the governor to the paper; a pointer supported on a shaft which is connected to the steering wheel in such a manner that the pointer will mark the direction the vehicle turned description- To. use the device it shoul be assembled as.

on the paper; and a small roller suitably mounted in the frame so that as the lights are turned on it will bear against the paper.

3. A device of the type described comprising a frame with springs in one end and a governor in the other; suitable means for connecting the governor to a speedometer shaft; a strip .of paper in the center of the frame mounted in such a manner that the springs wiil cause itto pass over a plate at a regular speed; a suitable means for marking the travel of the governor 0n the paper; a pointer bearing agalnst the paper and supported on a shaft which is connected to the steering wheel so that it will rotate as the wheel 1s turned; a small roller mounted in the frame in such a manner that it will mark on a paper while the li ts are turned on; suitable means for mar ing a line on the paper as the en ine is running while the car is standin sti and a suitable means for lighting a lamp as the velocit of the vefiicle reaches a given number 0 miles per our.

GEORGE B. FRAZER. 

